Forty-five jobs have been saved at a Fife engineering firm following a buy-out by its managing director.

Berner UK, the Dunfermline-based subsidiary of the pan-European Berner Group, has been purchased by Chris Howe for an undisclosed sum. The deal, which includes a sole distribution agreement, sees Howe assume full control and sole ownership.

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The deal follows a decision in February by the parent company to withdraw from the automotive industry in the UK, which would have led to the loss of 61 jobs at the Fife subsidiary. Berner UK supplies its own range of branded engineering and automotive products, as well as hand tools, janitorial and workshop consumables, throughout the UK to the HGV, bus, coach and transportation markets.

However, job losses have now been kept to 16.

"I am proud that we have been able to minimise job losses, although any are regrettable at this time within our workforce," Howe said.

"All staff affected will be given our full support, and I thank my entire team for their patience. We have future-proofed the business, although there is much work to be done in the coming months."

Howe concluded the deal with Berner chief executive Christian Berner, son of company founder Albert Berner who set up the company in Germany in 1957. The UK subsidiary was previously part of a 25-strong office network of bases across Europe, stretching from Spain to Lithuania.

Chris Howe

"Berner UK was already in the midst of a three-year development plan, during which time we had been targeting new growth and new sales areas across the UK," said Howe, who has headed up the subsidiary for the past three years.

"This was still very much on-going, leading me to take the decision to approach Christian Berner and implement a share purchase agreement.

"Not only are we now able to restructure the business across the board to maximum effect, but we are no longer restricted to the core markets of the rest of the pan-European group, and can approach and build awareness in completely new markets, such as manufacturing."

Howe will continue to trade under the Berner name "for the foreseeable future". Its sister firms in the UK, Kent and ACC, are unaffected by the new ownership deal.